Disability Design Reference Group

We manage the highly successful Disability Design Reference Group (DDRG) on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

“Working with DDRG members has become one of the most satisfying aspects of my involvement with accessibility. The group has grown into a genuinely diverse but cohesive group of people with a huge commitment to finding positive outcomes to a wide variety of issues.”

Mike Hughes, Former Group Member

The DDRG was set up in 2008. It is made up of disabled individuals from across Greater Manchester who experience a wide range of disabling barriers.

They provide advice from their own lived experience, which assists TfGM to ensure that, as far as possible, an inclusive, barrier-free environment is developed across public transport in Greater Manchester.

The DDRG was awarded the ‘Putting Passengers First’ award at the 2015 National Rail Awards in September. Judges praised the group’s attention to detail, good quality feedback and excellent design improvements.

The award is a much deserved recognition of the great work the DDRG do helping to ensure that disabled people in Greater Manchester can use a public transport system which is accessible to everyone.

An accessible public transport system can make a huge difference to people’s lives. It gives people the independence to travel, for work or for leisure. As the DDRG works on the transport projects in Manchester, they’re also educating contractors and architects, developing good practice to help make transport more accessible for disabled people everywhere.

Peter Cushing, Metrolink Director at TfGM said:

“During the Metrolink expansion and enhancement programme, the pragmatic advice of the DDRG has played an integral part in ensuring that accessibility for passengers is fully embedded into the entire delivery process, allowing Metrolink to excel as the most accessible mode of public transport in Greater Manchester. Following success with Metrolink, TfGM is now looking to expand the remit of the DDRG to include its wider projects and initiative.”

For further information on the Metrolink work, please visit TfGM’s website at www.tfgm.com.